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History of Urcea (1575-1798): Difference between revisions
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History of Urcea (1575-1798) (view source)
Revision as of 21:31, 11 February 2023
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During the war, King Leo required huge sums of [[Taler|Talers]] in order to keep the army on its feet, and while on campaign he asked the [[Concilium Daoni]] to raise taxes. The Daoni agreed to do so in exchange for concessions in the form of general consent of the Daoni for Royal appointments to the [[Concilium Purpaidá]], the ministry. The Daoni also asked as part of concessions that the King's [[Criminal_justice_system_of_Urcea#History|judicial appointments]] had to be confirmed by the Purpaidá, and further that all districts of the Daoni be elective rather than the mixed elective-appointive system. This latter proposal was offered as not only a demand of the Daoni but as an offering of benefit to the King, as it allowed him to take the final steps in destroying the power of landed vassals. King Leo received these demands in 1747 after several inconclusive battles that pointed to a long, expensive war. In absentia, he agreed to the concessions. This agreement, called the Concession of 1747, was among the first major developments towards the modern [[Constitution of Urcea]], and following the war Emperor Leo agreed to permanently uphold this concession. | During the war, King Leo required huge sums of [[Taler|Talers]] in order to keep the army on its feet, and while on campaign he asked the [[Concilium Daoni]] to raise taxes. The Daoni agreed to do so in exchange for concessions in the form of general consent of the Daoni for Royal appointments to the [[Concilium Purpaidá]], the ministry. The Daoni also asked as part of concessions that the King's [[Criminal_justice_system_of_Urcea#History|judicial appointments]] had to be confirmed by the Purpaidá, and further that all districts of the Daoni be elective rather than the mixed elective-appointive system. This latter proposal was offered as not only a demand of the Daoni but as an offering of benefit to the King, as it allowed him to take the final steps in destroying the power of landed vassals. King Leo received these demands in 1747 after several inconclusive battles that pointed to a long, expensive war. In absentia, he agreed to the concessions. This agreement, called the Concession of 1747, was among the first major developments towards the modern [[Constitution of Urcea]], and following the war Emperor Leo agreed to permanently uphold this concession. | ||
== | ===Early industry and reform efforts=== | ||
[[File:Cromford 1771 mill.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Early steam mills, such as this one, became an increasingly common sight in Urcea during the late 1700s]] | [[File:Cromford 1771 mill.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Early steam mills, such as this one, became an increasingly common sight in Urcea during the late 1700s]] | ||
During the period of the Urcean Crown's ascent to Imperial dominance, important changes were occurring in the country and in [[Levantia]] in general. In the period 1730-1765, devices such as the flying shuttle, spinning frame, and the spinning jenny were invented in the Imperial heartland. With increasing mechanization bleeding into other sectors and a greater ability to refine cast iron, the early stage of the Industrial Revolution had begun in Levantia. King-Emperor Leo (to 1768), and his son Brian (reigned 1768-1781), largely allowed the economy to progress without intervention. | During the period of the Urcean Crown's ascent to Imperial dominance, important changes were occurring in the country and in [[Levantia]] in general. In the period 1730-1765, devices such as the flying shuttle, spinning frame, and the spinning jenny were invented in the Imperial heartland. With increasing mechanization bleeding into other sectors and a greater ability to refine cast iron, the early stage of the Industrial Revolution had begun in Levantia. King-Emperor Leo (to 1768), and his son Brian (reigned 1768-1781), largely allowed the economy to progress without intervention. | ||
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It was also during this period that the role of the [[Procurator]] became more pronounced, as the Imperial Kings found themselves needing to delegate more and more power to their chief steward given the need to focus on Empire-wide affairs. With the King often away in [[Corcra (City)|Corcra]] to handle that kind of Imperial business, the regency powers of the Procurator naturally evolved into a national leadership role. Though previously Chief Steward and First Lord of the Treasury, the Procurator often served in an advisory role and merely a representative of the King at the [[Concilium Daoni]], but real decisions were beginning to be made by the [[Procurator]] at the [[Concilium Purpaidá|Purpaidá]] level. Another major [[Constitution of Urcea|Constitutional]] development came in 1759 when a Count in the Ionian highlands wrote the King, sitting in [[Corcra (City)|Corcra]] at the time, asking for a recent policy of road construction set in motion by the Procurator reversed. King Leo wrote back, upholding the Procurator's decision, and sent a copy of the letter to Urceopolis. The so-called "''Botharvia Letter''" legally confirmed some of the Procurator's executive authority, an important step towards the current authority of the office. | It was also during this period that the role of the [[Procurator]] became more pronounced, as the Imperial Kings found themselves needing to delegate more and more power to their chief steward given the need to focus on Empire-wide affairs. With the King often away in [[Corcra (City)|Corcra]] to handle that kind of Imperial business, the regency powers of the Procurator naturally evolved into a national leadership role. Though previously Chief Steward and First Lord of the Treasury, the Procurator often served in an advisory role and merely a representative of the King at the [[Concilium Daoni]], but real decisions were beginning to be made by the [[Procurator]] at the [[Concilium Purpaidá|Purpaidá]] level. Another major [[Constitution of Urcea|Constitutional]] development came in 1759 when a Count in the Ionian highlands wrote the King, sitting in [[Corcra (City)|Corcra]] at the time, asking for a recent policy of road construction set in motion by the Procurator reversed. King Leo wrote back, upholding the Procurator's decision, and sent a copy of the letter to Urceopolis. The so-called "''Botharvia Letter''" legally confirmed some of the Procurator's executive authority, an important step towards the current authority of the office. | ||
===Elevating the dynasty=== | |||
{{wip}} | |||
[[House de Weluta]]'s control over the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] during the 18th century had the effect of altering how the dynasty was viewed, both within its own ranks and by other prominent noble families. | |||
In 1780, Emperor Brian VII intervened in the [[Veltorine War of Independence]], a war that saw the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal and Imperial Army]] fight on [[Sarpedon]] for the first time against [[Caphiria]]. The war concluded under Brian's successor, Emperor Lucás III, and in 1782 the Urcean Crown received [[Talionia]] as compensation for their aid to [[Veltorina]]. The Kingdom of Talionia was established that year as a holding of the de Weluta family outside the jurisdiction of the Empire and, critically, it was not directly incorporated under the sphere of the [[Concilium Daoni]] as had been the case with other crownlands. | The period of Imperial rule made any potential loss of the Imperial title a deep wound that de Welutas would do everything in their power to prevent. Once it came, it meant that the [[Julian dynasty]]'s leading family could no longer accept being a "mere" Imperial vassal. Many scholars have believed this sense of entitlement not only lead to the later [[Recess of the Julii]] but also set Urcea down the course of becoming an international {{wp|great power}} rather than a major political player within the Empire. | ||
===Heightened tensions with the Empire=== | |||
In 1780, Emperor Brian VII intervened in the [[Veltorine War of Independence]], a war that saw the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal and Imperial Army]] fight on [[Sarpedon]] for the first time against [[Caphiria]]. The war concluded under Brian's successor, Emperor Lucás III, and in 1782 the Urcean Crown received [[Talionia]] as compensation for their aid to [[Veltorina]]. The Kingdom of Talionia was established that year as a holding of the de Weluta family outside the jurisdiction of the Empire and, critically, it was not directly incorporated under the sphere of the [[Concilium Daoni]] as had been the case with other crownlands. The decision to not incorporate Talionia within the Empire damaged relations between the Emperor and the [[Imperial Diet]], senior leaders in which viewed the move as a consolidation of power for House de Weluta at the expense of a potential gain for the Empire. Despite this incident, some efforts towards legal reform and centralization continued to receive favorable votes within the Diet and were implemented throughout the 1780s. | |||
Centralization continued without incident until the death of childless death Emperor-King Brian II in 1781 at the age of 37. His brother, 34-year old, King Lucás III, ascended that same year. Traditional historiography typically depicted Lucás as a petty tyrant who abused the rights of the Princes of the Empire, but modern historians tend to view this depiction more critically. The Holy Levantine Empire had been under hereditary rule for approximately thirty years, and the destabilization presented by the relatively young death of a King presented opportunities for Imperial Princes to try and "cause trouble" in an effort to break free of the "Urcean yoke". Modern historiography has revised the depiction of Lucás III as something of a well-meaning reformer who wanted to continue the path of his predecessors but was mostly unable, both due to his own personal failings but also decades of built up animosity on the part of the Princes of the Empire. Histories of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] tend to refer to King Lucás III as Emperor ''Lucius'' III as a latinization of Lucás, descended from and related to the Urcean name Luciás. Lucius and Lucás are sometimes confused, but they were the same ruler. His distant descendant, King Lucás IV, also nominally ruled the Empire as Lucius IV in the 20th century. | Centralization continued without incident until the death of childless death Emperor-King Brian II in 1781 at the age of 37. His brother, 34-year old, King Lucás III, ascended that same year. Traditional historiography typically depicted Lucás as a petty tyrant who abused the rights of the Princes of the Empire, but modern historians tend to view this depiction more critically. The Holy Levantine Empire had been under hereditary rule for approximately thirty years, and the destabilization presented by the relatively young death of a King presented opportunities for Imperial Princes to try and "cause trouble" in an effort to break free of the "Urcean yoke". Modern historiography has revised the depiction of Lucás III as something of a well-meaning reformer who wanted to continue the path of his predecessors but was mostly unable, both due to his own personal failings but also decades of built up animosity on the part of the Princes of the Empire. Histories of the [[Holy Levantine Empire]] tend to refer to King Lucás III as Emperor ''Lucius'' III as a latinization of Lucás, descended from and related to the Urcean name Luciás. Lucius and Lucás are sometimes confused, but they were the same ruler. His distant descendant, King Lucás IV, also nominally ruled the Empire as Lucius IV in the 20th century. | ||